A Bleak Future
by story magic
Summary: Rangiku now the Captain of squad 10, Toshiro is living out his days in solitude, only helping those who pay him with food or shelter. What has happened to the young captain and what has happened to Momo? Sorry if this is a terrible summary.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER:  
I don't own Bleach or the characters, just this story line.

CHAPTER 1:  
Leaping over the hole I landed gracefully whilst swinging my sword towards the hollow that had followed me here. As the hollow dissolved I started heading back to the house where I was receiving my payment for this month. As I walked I felt Hyourinmaru stirring slightly in the back of my mind. Stopping and ensuring that no one was around I knelt and focused on my inner world to see the great dragon flying restlessly across the sky, causing caught a snow storm. "Hyourinmaru, what is the matter?" shouting up to the dragon he flew down and I let the great dragon blow the steam into my face.

 _"You know why I am like this, if I didn't you inner world would melt with the presence of_ _ **that**_ _sword,"_ knowing full well what he meant I ignored him and found myself staring into the face of someone I hadn't seen in 10 years.

"Hello Captain," hearing Rangiku, my old lieutenant call me that I felt my eyebrow twitch.

"Don't call me that, I haven't been a captain since that night," brushing her aside I continued walking, knowing that she would follow me. In the ten years I hadn't seen her, the only thing to change was her spirit energy, position in the squad and her outfit, everything else had stayed the exact same.

"But you still have the haiori, how can I not call you Captain," stopping again she nearly ran into me, my head now at shoulder height of the older soul reaper.

"Was there something that you wanted Rangiku?" seeing her smile I realised that I must've sounded just like but then.

"I just got some time off and I wanted to come and see how you were doing, is that so wrong?" sighing in defeat I just walking, knowing that she wouldn't take no for an answer. After several hours of her following me everywhere we soon made it to my "home", if you could even call it that. It was a small shack that the village had given me in return for protecting them from the hollows. It was located in one of the worst sections of the Rukon district but I didn't mind, I disserved everything I got. Sitting down on the edge of my futon I took off the two swords that were strapped to my back and removed the clothes that helped keep my spirit pressure lowered. With Rangiku here no one would really noticed the sudden appearance of another spiritual pressure. Looking up I noticed that Rangiku was staring at me.

"What is it, you saw me in Squad 4 before I left so you should know the scars I have now are from that time," not meaning to shout I realised to late the ice had started to form around the room.

"I just wanted to know why you have Momo's sword, I thought that the Head Captain had taken it so that they could study it," at that I clamped my mouth shut, not looking anywhere but at the sword that had belonged to my closest friend before she threw her life away from someone totally unworthy of her care.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER:  
I don't own Bleach or the characters, just this story line, please enjoy.

CHAPTER 2:  
Watching the Capt…I mean Toshiro, I couldn't help my eyes from wondering over the scars that now covered his body. His left and right arms was scared all the way to just below his shoulder from the fire, his left eye having been gouged out by the hollow they had followed into the building, and though covered I knew his back had a butterfly burnt there and around his neck would be a line that was from a string that the second hollow they hadn't seen had wrapped around his neck, nearly slicing his head off. Shaking my head I pulled myself away from the memory, I was the Captain of Squad 10 now and I couldn't be weakened by those memories the way I used to anymore. "Capt…" stopping I saw his one eye staring coldly at me, almost daring me to say it. "I mean Toshiro, can you please just tell me why you have Tobiume?" feeling him shut himself behind those solid walls of ice I thought he wouldn't say anything when he breathed out a sigh.

"I didn't steal it, it came to me, Momo sealed the sword to my soul," as he pulled down his turn clothes I saw a flower glowing there with what looked like a type of kidou around it. "It is what… but the moment I let it go, Tobiume will vanish and I…" not needing him to finish those sentences for I knew exactly what he meant, if Tobiume vanished then he would lose Momo, his dearest friend, forever and he would blame himself for years to come.

"I understand, at least I can tell the Head Captain that it wasn't stolen and he doesn't need to worry," seeing him look at him I almost cried, his eye was showing that he was happy that he wasn't told to bring the sword back to the Soul Society. "But I don't think Kurotsuchi is going to like this, he wanted to know why the sword was still around even after Momo had vanished," and instantly the mood changed and the topic of 10 years ago was completely avoided. It wasn't until Toshiro had fallen asleep that Rangiku had stepped from the hut and looked up into the starry sky, it was quite a beautiful sight. Sitting down I let my mind wonder, back to the night 10 years ago that had changed everything.

 **Author's note:**

 _Sorry for leaving it hanging, but keep the views coming and more chapters will be coming._


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER:  
I don't own Bleach or these characters, just the story line.

CHAPTER 3:  
Leaping into that building after the hollow was by-far the stupidest thing I have done in my life as a soul reaper. I had no idea what its abilities were and fighting in a building never worked well for me and this was even more so. The instant Momo's and my feet hit the ground a wall of flames erupted around us, closing us in. The flames didn't seem to Momo and her sword was slowly protecting her but my energy was slowly fading as all the water in the air. "Shirou, are you okay?" grabbing hold of Hyourinmaru I had to let go, it wasn't that he was hot, but the dragon's pain was too much for me to handle.

"Stay focused Momo, we don't know what this hollow can do," almost as soon as I said it I felt something wrap around my neck and pull me up.

"Shirou!" trying to pull at the strange thing around my neck it started to tighten, making it almost impossible to breathe. Looking behind me, I saw the shape of a different one.

 **"So this is a Captain, I must say I am disappointed,"** again the line tightened and I started to feel blood trickling down my throat but before the hollow behind me could do anything I tension was gone and I collapsed to the ground, only to have it fall out from under me. Grabbing the edge of the building the fire started to burn my arms and I couldn't help but scream. As I felt myself start to black out I was pulled over the edge and the fire seemed to no longer reach me. Opening my eyes I saw Momo standing over me, a kidou spread around us.

"Shirou, are you alright?" trying to push myself up into a sitting position I felt my arms give way and I was back to the ground. This time using the strength of my body I got up and saw why I had collapsed, my arms were almost completely burnt and I couldn't feel my fingers.

"What about the hollow?" trying to sound in charge I was trying my hardest not to collapse from the strain of keeping my spirit energy intact. This fire was weakening me and Hyourinmaru more by the second.

"The one that was holding you I destroyed but I don't know about the second one," nodding I paused to let the world come back into focus. In that instant Momo had been staring at me and not the hollow coming down from behind her, through the gap that her worry for me had produced.

"Look out!" pushing her out of the way and turning my back to the hollow in the process I soon felt a burning hand land firmly on my back. I let out a pure scream of pain and I heard the dragon in me doing the same. The claws drew blood and the fire burned away the skin. Ignoring the pain I drew Hyourinmaru with trembling hands and slew the hollow, almost fainting right then and there from the energy that took but I didn't fall all the way to the ground. Looking up I saw Momo staring at me but her gaze passing through me to the sword in her hands.

"I am so sorry Shirou, I wish I could do more," I was only just holding onto my senses and what she was saying didn't fully make it through my boggled mind. Watching her as she pressed the sword to my chest I almost pulled back from the sudden warm sensation that flowed through my chest. "Tobiume is now bound to your soul and will protect you from the fire, goodbye Shirou," hearing those words I noticed that the fire that had been leaving her alone until now was starting to lick its way up her clothes.

"No…" as I tried to plead with her she smiled and stepped away, completely consumed by flames.

"Momo!" sitting upright and sweating on the futon I leaned my head against the wall I ran my fingers through my hair which reached my mid-back, almost as a second shield to hide my scars from the world. "Oh Momo," and again, like every night I had that dream, I cried and let the snow fall, both inside and outside this little shack.


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER:  
I don't own Bleach or the characters, just this story line.

CHAPTER 4:  
Walking into the little shack the next day and rubbing my arms to get feeling back into them I saw Toshiro leaning against one wall tear stains evident on his face. Kneeling in front of him I was about to touch his shoulder when his eyes snapped open and I thought he would yell at me but the life that filled them with a raging white inferno died down to a candle light in an instance. "Sorry, it's just…" pointing outside, his snow was slowly melting but the instant I said something it was all gone, locked back inside. Sitting down I watched him place the spiritual dampeners around his wrists and his presence slowly dropped from my senses.

"So, how long were you planning on staying?" at the sudden question I thought about what the Head Captain had said about needing to have Toshiro under surveillance but from what I saw last night, it didn't appear that he needed it, something had already reduced his spiritual pressure as it was.

"I will head back tomorrow but…" before I could continue screams surrounded us and the crushing presence of a hollow pressed its presence down on us.

"This spirit energy," running after Toshiro I knew why he was jumpy; this was the hollow we couldn't find after the fire, probably escaping whilst we worried about the injured. Standing there I watched for a second before flash-stepping towards the residence wanting to get them out of the way whilst Toshiro ran towards the hollow, Hyourinmaru glowing an almost red-white glow of anger and hurt.


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER:  
I don't own Bleach or the characters, just the story-line

CHAPTER 5:  
Kneeling on the ground I looked around and noticed just how far I had chased the hollow away from the village and I knew that this fight shouldn't be taking this much out of me. **"Hahahahaha!"** looking up at the hollow I almost fell when I noticed that time seemed to be frozen, as well as everything else around us.

 _"Master, someone wants to talk to you,"_ looking up Hyourinmaru started circling lower and lower until his body had me completely surrounded but I couldn't see him even thought I knew he was there. As I started to think that maybe I was dying a familiar, warm, presence appeared.

"Tobiume," seeing the smiling form of Momo's zanpakuto I thought I would start crying but her eyes were sad and seemed to want to tell me something so I held back my tears.

 _"Toshiro, you must unseal me, if you don't then you will die,"_ hearing those words I finally noticed a shimmering white outline surrounding her, almost keeping her here.

"But how, I know you should have disappeared with… but I don't even know how I sealed you with kidou," almost shouting by the end I lowered my head and held it there with my shaking hands.

"It's okay Shirou, you can let me go know," my head shotting up I couldn't believe my eyes, Momo was standing before me, and in my frazzled state I was none the wiser that this was just my mind playing tricks on me but I reached forward and I realised to late that I had drawn Tobiume and she was vanishing, time returning to its normal pace.

"No!" screaming my spirit energy rose as I tried to hold onto the small fragments of Momo, the one child that hadn't been scared to approach me. I don't really remember what happened next but before I knew it I was standing and watching as Rangiku prepared to leave.

"Are you sure you won't reconsider coming back?" shaking my head I could feel Hyourinmaru humming with agreement to my decision.

"I can't, my life is here now. And besides, Squad 10 has a new captain, it doesn't need me anymore," as she nodded she was gone and I couldn't help but feel happy. I was finally leaving everything about my previous life behind and there was no way I was turning back now. "Let's go Hyourinmaru, we have a lot of work to do," so taking off in the opposite direction of the Seireitei I headed off towards my newest job.


End file.
